Lawyer to challenge arrest of investigator accused of bribe-taking

Dmitriyeva has been taken in custody for the period of investigation until November 24

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MOSCOW, October 5 (Itar-Tass) — The lawyer of Interior Ministry investigator Nella Dmitriyeva, accused of the attempt to take a multi-million-rouble bribe, intends to appeal against the Presnya court ruling to place her under arrest.

"Yes, we'll appeal," Dmitriyeva's lawyer said in a terse reply to reporters, refusing to make further comments.

Dmitriyeva has been taken in custody for the period of investigation until November 24.

The judge believes the investigator has enough reasons for bringing charges against her. Also, the judge shares the investigator's concern that Dmitriyeva, if at large, might escape, put pressure on witnesses or obstruct the investigation in some other way.

The judge rejected the arguments by the prosecutor and the suspect' lawyer, who objected to her arrest.

The family circumstances, such as the fact that the suspect has a sick mother to support, were ignored by the court.

"The fact that the defendant has to support her elderly sick mother cannot be taken into consideration by the court, because it has not been substantiated with document and does not prevent placing the defendant in custody," the judge said.

Earlier in the day, Dmitriyeva denied her guilt. "If the investigators have proofs, I will admit my guilt. But I have nothing to admit," the she said.

Dmitriyeva is accused of taking a large bribe (under Article 290, Part 6 of Russia's Criminal Code).

The penalty under the article commits the culprit to paying 80- to 100-times sum of the bribe with a ban to occupy certain posts for three years. An alternative penalty is a prison term from eight to 15 years with a fine of 70-times sum of the bribe.

The investigator has ascertained that Dmitriyeva, who was investigating a contraband case, demanded from the suspects a 3-million-dollar bribe for exempting them from criminal responsibility," the SK said.

"She attracted her acquaintances to take the bribe. On August 23, the intermediaries took 50,000 euros, 1,000 dollars and dummy currency imitating euros and dollars in the amount equivalent to almost 50 million roubles.

"Federal Security Service agents arrested the intermediaries as they were taking the money," according to the SK.